“Education either functions as an instrument which is used t
o facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the pr
esent system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freed
om\, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with r
eality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world
.” -Paulo Freire\, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Teach-In i
s a series of artist projects and relational activities\, which manipulate
methodologies from traditional education to create a temporary school withi
n a school. As is common with artist social practices\, the events organize
d by the artists through the gallery focus on topics such as aesthetics\, e
thics\, collaboration\, persona\, media strategies\, and social activism. T
hese issues are often central to artworks and projects that cross into publ
ic and social spheres. Artists working within these modalities either choos
e to co-create their work with a specific audience or propose critical inte
rventions within existing social systems that inspire debate or catalyze so
cial exchange.1

The first teach-in began in 1965\, conceived b
y Marshall Sahlins\, professor of anthropology at the University of Michiga
n at Ann Arbor. A group of University of Michigan professors planned on can
celling classes to protest the US occupation of Vietnam. After much debate\
, the professors decided to extend their classes to last all night\, effect
ively occupying the campus. The teach-in consisted of guest speakers\, semi
nars and films. Over 3\,000 students attended and 200 faculty members showe
d their support. Other schools across the country started using teach-ins o
n their own campuses\, and at Michigan Teach-Ins were subsequently held on
a wide range of topics such as the environment and women's issues.2

The invited artists are also teachers who employ teaching tactics wi
thin their art practices. Their art-education praxes operate in a manner as
to inspire reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it i
n some way. The collective and participatory atmosphere during the exhibiti
on should be viewed as an opportunity to bring challenging questions and di
alogue to the campus through convivial\, user-friendly artistic projects. T
each-In will serve as a platform to organize actual teach-ins for and by th
e staff and students at Cypress College. A calendar of workshops will be po
sted on the Cypress College Art Gallery Facebook page.